We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Mary Morgan. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Mary below.

Mary, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Did you always know you wanted to pursue a creative or artistic career? When did you first know?

I have always loved art and loved teaching art. However, there was never enough time to pursue being an artist because I was a teacher. I also had a husband and three children who demanded my time at home. Therefore, I found myself a little short on time and finances to pursue a painting career. When I decided to go back to school to get my graduate degree, a Master’s of Art, I was middle-aged and still teaching full time. My children were growing up and my two oldest sons were attending the United State Air Force Academy. Life was busy. It was all I could do to keep up with teaching and concentrate on graduating. While I was in graduate school I started to have a desire to paint more as I learned more about painting and art history. Studying art history helped me to find my painting style and gave me the inspiration to pursue my long-range goal of being an artist. I also had another goal and that was to teach in college. After I graduated I immediately began to teach at a local university as an adjunct professor and I kept my full-time job as the department chair of visual art at a local private school.

I still had a desire to paint and by this time the children were out of the house. I at last had more time to pursue painting. After I retired from the department chair at the private school, I added more classes at the university which I dearly loved. This schedule opened more time to develop my personal goals as a painter. It was not until I fully retired from all teaching, that I acquired a small studio space. I painted nonstop when I was in the studio, a rewarding experience. I explored new creative ways of painting and embraced the new opportunities that having a studio provided. I met and had meaningful dialogs with the other artists in the same space that we shared. My creative spirit was free and growing. I noticed that the content of my artwork was an extension and expression of my life’s journey. To quote Georgia O’Keeffe
“I found that I could express and say things with paint that I could never say with words”

Mary, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I got into the art industry because I was an art teacher and as I studied art, I wanted to pursue my love for painting. My brand as an abstract expressionist painter evolved as I taught art. I developed my mark over the years of teaching art and seeing an abundance of art in museums and galleries. Most of my artwork is colorful and some of my ideas develop spontaneously through my mark. My art develops from a blend of conscious and subconscious thoughts. It’s my desire that clients and potential collectors know that my art is original and begins in my soul. I believe the soul is the place where my creative thoughts are born. The process of taking those thoughts to the surface of a ground where I explore all the possibilities of expression is unique and not always the same with each artwork. I am finding that my paintings are mostly mixed media paintings. Adding an element of collage, phototransfer, gold leaf or any other material creates another level of interest for me. I usually paint with oil or acrylic and maybe both. My influences come from many resources, nature, family, literature, events, and spiritual truths. Most of the time the content is a mix of these influences. I have a deep appreciation for many artists’ past and present whose influence has made a tremendous impact on my life.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can provide some insight – you never know who might benefit from the enlightenment.

I think some non-creatives fail to understand how much time it takes to develop as a painter. I also think that they don’t understand the cost and expense that creatives have to invest in order to be productive. Some materials go to waste as I had to learn much about how to use materials. It takes some experimenting to know how to use paint. But I hardly ever throw work away because it might be a valuable piece to use as a collage element. Some people think being an artist is a “hobby” and don’t understand that being an artist is a way of life. Some non-creatives might not find abstraction to be art according to their taste. I’ve found it difficult to educate those who have a closed mind if they aren’t open to learning. Art styles can be very diverse and has many facets. As I’ve grown over the last few years I realize how important it is to set aside time to go to the studio. Not every day is a painting day, but most of the time I have to set a schedule to be in the studio to paint. It’s like a really good job that you don’t get paid for by the hour. The monetary reward is not the goal. The satisfaction of sharing my artwork is very rewarding and I find joy in knowing that someone else may find a message or delight in my work.

What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?

I think society can best support creatives by allowing artists opportunities to show their work and by opening new avenues for artists to talk and dialog about their work with cost-effective measures. It is difficult to find avenues in some parts of the world for recognition. Most things cost money and some artists do not have the funds to participate in shows or contest that costs money. Websites and online participation are sometimes costly. Finding avenues for participation takes time and effort to learn how to use what may be available. Most artists love to be creative and do what they love to do without marketing their work themselves. I know that there are grants available but often the time it takes to apply for them takes away from their creative time. I don’t know if I have all the answers for our society today, but I know when I find a free avenue for showing my work I will try to take advantage of that opportunity. Maybe having better ways of communication is worth exploring.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.marymcdowellmorgan.com
• Instagram: www.maryemorganart.com
• Facebook: www.Mary E Morgan Art .com or Mary Morgan.com
• Linkedin: www.MaryMorgan.com
• Other: www.LinicomnRichardson.com. www.Singulart.com